How do you wash your softshell jacket?

its the typical 3 layer fabric water resistant on the outside, inside is nicro-fleecy, wind block in middle It says

wash separatelyhand wash only

I built up alot of sweat sometimes so I want to wash it every few rides ..

There is a delicate washer cycle that I run for all my jerseys and such.. all those zippers spinning in there.
I'd throw in there, but I am wondering if there is a better way to wash to preserve more expensive clothing. I'd hand wash if needed, but someone please tell me how

Cold water, delicate cycle, hang dry. Works fine. If you're truly paranoid, though, there's no reason you couldn't just bite the bullet and stick it in a sink filled with cold water and Woolite for thirty minutes.

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"all those zippers spinning in there."......you ought to be zipping up all the jerseys, etc. anyway to avoid just the problem you are concerned about. Otherwise, wash as the others have suggested and hang to dry.

My PI jacket goes in the washer with my other stuff. Warm water, whatever laundry detergent is next to the machine. Hang to dry. I came to the conclusion that it's just a jacket. No need to get crazy about it.

Pretty much similar to the others but if I have a large load of stuff ie a weeks worth of bibs, jerseys etc. I will use a wash bag for the more delicate items. I have a new high efficiency LG upright washer & I will use the hand wash cycle in cold with med spin. I zip up all zippers & turn all jackets & jerseys inside out which prevents the zippers from catching on each other. I only use Tide fragrance free detergent & only the recommended amount. The type & amount of detergent has a huge impact on the longevity of your clothing.

By using a scented detergent & not following recommended amounts will leave surfactants on your clothing which will reduce their durability. PI's website is pretty clear about the dangers of using too much detergent. I have a folding clothes rack that I can then lay flat jerseys. Jackets I just hang to dry.

Just to follow up, but how often do you guys wash a jacket? After every ride, once a week, never? I hear people don't wash them as much if wearing a base layer, but I figure even the sweat absorbed there would come in contact with the jacket eventually. Also would imagine the neck collar on the jacket would get sweaty often unless you're riding with it unzipped.

No chlorine bleach and absolutely no fabric softener! Warm water won't affect the fabric. Abrasion from the agitator of most top loaders will shorten life of any clothing so gentle cycle helps. Front loader tumble type machines put less wear and tear on clothing. Most clothing gets worn out from washing rather than wearing.

I don't have a set schedule... like after [blank number] of uses, miles, days. I try to go by freshness. I have a deck I air my cycling clothing on. Right after todays ride... I turned my windproof softshell inside-out put it on a hanger and hung it out on the deck in the fresh air and sunshine. (It's still airing now).

It was pretty cool today.... so the jacket wasn't barely moist. But still... maybe 3 or 4 wearing's with a nice airing afterwards... so bacteria doesn't make a home in the garment... then a nice gentle wash.

P.S. I air my work-out and cycling clothing after each use... even if they are going into the laundry. Sweaty clothing should never be thrown into a hamper or anywhere where that would promote or allow bacteria growth. Or you'll end up with smells that you may never get out of them.

Last edited by Dave Cutter; 10-27-2013 at 01:07 PM.

If I didn't bicycle when the weather is bad... I wouldn't be a cyclist. I'd just be another old fat man... with a bicycle hanging in his garage.

I use our front-loader LG with liquid detergent, and I put my higher-end items in mesh laundry bags to protect them a little bit more, especially bib shorts/knickers/tights made from a company that starts with an A. For something like a softshell winter jacket, I would do up the zipper and turn it inside out, and possibly place it in a bag depending on the load size. I use the delicate cycle, cold water, low spin, and an extra rinse. Everything is hang-dry on a rack.

I have started using Penguin Sports Wash recently, after having a few S/S jerseys get prematurely stinky this past summer after super-hot rides. Before that I was using cold water HE Tide, but my wife bought some cold water HE Purex instead and once I started using it I had stink issues. Did some reasearch, decided on the Penguin. I use about 3/4 of a capfull of the Penguin with just a tiny amount of coldwater Tide HE mixed in. I have definitely learned that less is more when it comes to detergent when washing athletic clothing. And my experience is that the Purex just did not rinse out well and resultant residue contributed to stinky jersey. A few washes later in my Penguin-Tide mix and things were much better. Also, it is better to wash more frequently and not let things pile up, that is when odors can really start to set in. In the summer I am definitely guilty of this, as I have a lot of kit and can go 4-5 rides before I NEED to do laundry, but ideally this is not good for the clothing.